This invention relates to apparatus for engagement with a portion of a tree to impart a force against the tree and cause the same to shake, whereby fruit or the like becomes disconnected from the tree and falls into appropriate receiving apparatus. Particularly the present invention is directed to means for converting rotary input motion from a power source to a linear reciprocating motion and transferring the reciprocating motion to a tree portion with which the means is engaged.
Generally the prior art tree shakers that are currently commercially available are of two types: (1) a slider crank mechanism, which may or may not be an inertia type shaker, and which provides a linear shaking motion, and (2) rotating eccentric masses which normally do not provide linear motion. The prior art mechanisms require considerable space, develop excessive wear, and experience maintenance problems in developing shaking motions required in a fruit harvesting operation. The tree shaker of the present invention is compact, efficient and has a low maintenance profile whereby an improvement over prior art devices results.